LOCATION
• Is the location easy to travel to via car or plane?
• Is it centrally located to multiple large cities?
• Are there multiple direct flights or is an extra leg required to get to the city?

DATES/CONFLICTING EVENTS
• Is the weather in the location good during the time the event is scheduled?
• Are other major events happening in the city at the same time that conflict with your event?

VENUE CHOICE
• Is the venue located in a safe part of town?
• Is there easy access from major interstates?
• Does the venue have negative connotations in the community (i.e. “the rodeo venue”, “the rat trap”, etc.)?
• What venue do similar events use?
• Are there other activities in close proximity to the venue (i.e. restaurants, shopping areas, attractions, etc.)
• Is there plenty of parking to accommodate your group? Is it on property or in surrounding parking lots? What is the cost for parking cars, 15 passenger vans, or buses?
• Is it a union building? What are the costs of labor? Are their ticketing fees? What is the merchandise fee? What is the overall cost of catering?
• Does the venue have the space you need to accommodate all of your meeting requirements? How many can each room seat based on your desired setup and stage size? Are there any site line barriers like pillars or chandeliers that will eliminate seats?
• What additional costs are required? (i.e. security personnel, janitorial staff, electricians, technology staff to install phone lines/internet, etc.)
• Do they have exclusive contracts with vendors like rental or AV companies, security companies, ticketing service, caterer, etc.?

HOTEL CHOICE
• What is the group hotel room rate? Is it less than the rack rates you can find online? If not, then attendees may book outside the block leaving your group with attrition fees to pay.
• How are attendees treated at the hotel when they arrive? (Tip: At the site visit, go to the hotel, as an attendee would not as an event planner that the hotel is seeking business from. You want to receive the kind of treatment an attendee would to see how their experience would likely be. Then you can make an educated decision about whether to use the hotel or not).
• What class of hotel is it? Are there restaurants on property? Is room service available? Is breakfast included in the rate? Is there high speed Internet available in the hotel rooms? Is there a charge for local phone calls? What amenities are offered in the guest rooms? Is there an airport shuttle or local area shuttle?
• Will the hotel give complimentary rooms for a certain number of rooms picked up?
• Will the hotel do a commissionable rate to the planner?

TRANSPORTATION
• Is transportation from the airport available to the hotel when attendees arrive? Is there a cost? What are the hours?
• Is there public transportation like subways, light rail trains, taxis, available to get from the airport to the hotel or the hotel to the venue or to other activities?
Is the hotel within walking distance to the venue?

To read more blogs by Jennifer Winn go to www.winnevents.com.